Bowling game device



July 26, 1960 vc. o. BRUNER BOWLING GAME DEVICE Filed June 11, 1958Charles 0. Brune'r INVENTOR.

Wawy 5MM,

United States BOWLING GAME DEVICE Charles 0. Bruner, 520 W. La HabraAve., La Habra, Calif.

Filed June 11, 1958, Ser. No. 741,266

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-37) vide a bowling game `device in the form of anelongated t .i

alley having a smooth top surface which may be supported somewhat in thenature of a table by depending supporting members with the flat topsurface representing an alley and provided with gutters along each sidethereof and provided with pin spots at each end thereof and providedwith -a movable pit having a retractible' bumper or barrier forreceiving the pins whichare knocked from the pin spots bythe bowlers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bowling gamedevice incorporating in its construction a movable pit having a bumpermounted thereon with the bumper serving to stop the pins when they arestruck and also providing a storage for the pin in the movable pit.

A further object of the present invention will reside in its simplicityof construction, ease of use, entertaining qualities, adaptation forplaying an intended game and its relatively inexpensive manufacturingcost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the `details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a lperspective view of the bowling game device of thepresen-t invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view taken substantiallyupon a plane passing along section. line 2 2 of Figure l illustratingthe details of construction of the bowling game device; and

Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken substan-tiallyupon a plane passing along section line 3 3 of Figure l illustratingfurther structural details of the bowling game device.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generallydesignates the bowling game device of the present invention whichincludes an elongated table-like structure generally designated by thenumeral 12 and including a flat and level play-ing surface representinga bowling alley which is designated by the numeral 14 and which has asubstantially perfectly flat playing surface. Disposed in spacedrelation to the playing surface 14 is a bottom member 16 which ismaintained in spaced relation by side members 18 and transversepartition members 20. The bottom member 16 is supported from a-supporting surface by downwardly extending support blocks 22 which maybe of any conventional construction and which may have levelling feetfor purposes of levelling the playing surface 14.

i LCC 2. Adjacent each end of the playing surface 14 is a group of pinspots 24 which may be relatively dim for purposes of guiding the initialpositioning of the pins 26. Along each side of the pl-aying surface 14is a gutter and ball return designated by the numerals 2S and 30'. Thegutters and ball returns 28 and 30 are inclined in opposite directionsso that the balls may be returned to the players. As viewed in Figure l,the gutter and ball return 30 is inclined downwardly towards the remoteend of the playing surface 14 so that when a ball is positioned thereinit will roll towards the player at the remote end of the playingsurface. The ball return and gutter 28 is inclined in the otherdirection, that is downwardly from the remote end to the adjacent end.

Slidable in each end of the table-like structure 12 is a drawergenerally designated by the numeral 34 which includes a bottom 36, sidewalls 38, an inner end wall 40 and an outer endwall 42 thus leaving thedrawer open on top. The outer end wall 42 is provided with a' generallyU-shaped handle 44 attached thereto by suitable fasteners so tha-t thedrawer 34 may be pulled outwardly or moved inwardly in underlyingrelation `to the playing surface 14; For guiding the sliding movenientof the drawer 34, the bottom 36 is provided with -a pair of transverselyspaced and longitudinally extending dovetailed grooves 46 slidablyreceiving a longitudinal-projection 48 onrthe bottom member 16 which isl also dovetailed in shape for engagement with the dovetailed grooves 46thus supporting the drawer 34 and guiding the longitudinal movementthereof. A depending pin or any other suitable stop means which isindicated by t-he numeral -50 is provided on the undersurface of Itheplaying surface 14 for lengagement with the inner surface of the innerend wall 40 for 'limiting the outward movement of the drawer 34.

Hingedly connected to the front or outer end Wall 42 is an extensionplate or bumper 52 with the hinge con- '.nection being designated by thenumeral 54.

The inner surface of the inner end wall 42 and the inner surface of thebumper 52 is provided with a cushion of resilient material designated bythe numeral 56 which forms la bumper when extended in the conditionshown in Figure 2 for receiving the pins as they are forced rearwardlyby contact with the ball and also for receiving and stopping the ball sothat the ball and the pins all [will be received within the interior ofthe drawer.

While the drawings in this instance illustrate the extension plate orbumper 52 folding completely within the drawer, the same may engage thetop surface of the side walls 38 or otherwise be supported by the topedge of the walls 38 so that the bumper 52 will form a partial closurefor -the drawer. The drawer is sufficiently large to hold the pins 26and also the balls to be used in connection therewith thus providing astorage area for this paraphernalia. Also, the bumper receives Itheballs and absorbs the shock thereof and deposits the balls and the pinsin the drawer or pit formed by the drawer. p

In order -to assure easy movement of the drawer, the drawer may beelongated with only approximately onethird of the same being used forthe actual storage or pit area. The approximate dimensions of the drawerare 54 inches in length by 25 inches in width and l() inches deep. Theplaying surface of the bowling game device may be approximately 14 feetlong or more and the players set up each others pins and when the pinsare disposed in the pit or drawer, the drawer may be moved inwardly forenabling the player to throw his balls at the pins which have been setup at the opposite end of .the playing surface. Thus, the presentinvention incorporates a bowling game device in which the actual playingof the game takes place from both ends of the location when not in use.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to `the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A bowling game device comprising an elongated planar playing surfacehaving pin spots at each end and trough members along each side edgethereof, a bottom member disposed in spaced parallel relation to Itheplaying surface, said bottom being substantially equal in length to theplaying surface and underlying said playing surface, a pair of sidemembers interconnecting the side edges of the bottom member and playingsurface thereby forming a hollow elongated housing, a drawer slidablyreceived in each end of said housing, each drawer including a bottomprovided with longitudinal grooves in the under surface thereof, saidbottom member of the housing having longitudinal ribs thereon slidablyreceived in the grooves for guiding the drawers, each drawer alsoincluding a pair of side walls, an inner end wall and an outer end wallrigid with the bottom and slidably received in the hollow housing, theexternal di- 4 face of said outer end wall for moving the drawer in ahorizontal plane longitudinally from a concealed position substantiallycompletely? underlying the pllaying surface to an extended position withthe drawer forming a longitudinal extension of the housing, said drawerhaving a bottom substantially below the playing surface thereby forminga receptacle for receiving the pins and balls, stop means mounted on theunderside of said playing surface in depending relation to limit thelongitudinal sliding movement of the drawer, an extension platepivotally mounted on the .upper edge of the outer end wall of the drawerfor swinging movement from a retracted position alongside ythe innersurface of said outer end wall to an extended position in v erticalalignment with the outer end wall, said extension plate having verticaland horizontal dimensions generally equal to the inner surface of theouter end wall thereby extending substantially vertically above theplaying surface when in extended position andforming a bumper forreceiving impacts from the pins and balls.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the inner surface of theextension plate and the outer end wall are covered with cushioningmaterial for absorbing impact.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 899,115Longwell Sept. 22, 1908' 1,360,661 Malone Nov. 30, 1920 2,247,769Constant July 1, 1941 2,525,906 Johnson Oct. 17, 1950

